We live so much of our lives online, there can be a lot to take in. Whether it’s a message from a friend or a video you are watching on YouTube, there’s a lot of traffic coming your way.  

This has led to a call for children and young people to be taught more about ‘digital literacy’. It’s a phrase you may have heard your parent or a teacher mention. 

But what does it mean? And how does it affect you? 

Digital Literacy – A Definition

Digital literacy is a set of skills that we use every time we go online. These skills empower us to use technology and navigate the online world safely and effectively. They help us to make informed decisions about what we do online, allowing us to connect and create positively. 

Digital Literacy Skills 

So what are the digital literacy skills we need to keep ourselves safe online?  

Here are a few and how they can be used. 

Information Literacy 

It’s pretty easy to find what you need online. We use search engines or social media to find the information we need or the service that we want to use. It takes seconds, and we can do it on the go. 

But do you know which sources are ones you can rely on or do you just click the first result that comes up? Sadly, not every website or social media channel is there for the right reasons.  

Digital literacy helps us to look where information is coming from, and decide whether it is trustworthy. 

Content Evaluation 

Once you are confident that you are visiting the right website or social media channel, you’ll hopefully find what you need quickly. 

But how real are the results? How do we know that what we are looking at or watching is authentic? Is the information you are being given true, or could someone be trying to get you to connect with their content for more sinister purposes? 

It’s important to make sure we check out not just the source of the information, but also the information itself.  

Check out our top tips for assessing online content to keep you safe.  

Digital Communication 

There are lots of ways to connect with people, from social media to emails. Digital literacy means knowing how to communicate with people online in a respectful way.  

Privacy 

Do you know what privacy settings you have on your social media profiles? Do you understand what a cookie is? 

The term data covers lots of things, from our personal information to our activity online. And these days, data is valuable. Companies want to sell you things. Tech companies want to use it to make their systems work better for you. And unfortunately people also want to steal your data to sell it. 

Being digitally literate means understanding how to keep your data safe. This includes setting passwords that are strong and hard to crack, knowing how to change your privacy settings on platforms like social media, and being careful what you share when you are online. 

Responsible Online Use 

Your digital footprint is the impact your online activity (or the activity of others) has for you and those you connect with.  

Have you ever thought about how other people feel about what you post online? Or what you say to them online? 

Digital literacy means thinking before you post. It means understanding when what you are doing could be harmful (to you or others). By being more mindful of how you act online, you can protect yourelf and help others to protect themselves too.